Wire fence and means for securing tension thereon



(No Model.)

P. MAST. WIRE FENCE-AND MEANSFOR SBGURING TENSION THEREON.

No. 508,951 -'Paten-ted Nov. 21,1893.

ITNESSES. f INVENTOR.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER MAST, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

WIRE FENCE AND MEANS FOR SECURING TENSION THEREON.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 508,957, dated November 21, 1893. Application filed February 24, 1891. Serial No. 382,331, (No model-l To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, PETER MAsT, of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers for Fences; and I do here by declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which 7 it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates generally to wire fences, and particularly to an improved stretcher for the same, the object of the in 'vention being to provide a device which oan be quickly attached to the fence, and will always operate to keep the wire tight.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described and pointed'outin the claims.

In the drawings:Figure 1, is a side elevation of a section of fence, showing the end post securely braced and the wires secured in tension,by means of my improved tension device. Fig. 2, isa detail view of the tightener, and Fig. 3, is a like view of a modified form.

1, designates the end post secured in vertical position by means of a tubular inclined brace 2 adapted to receive the reduced end of a stake securely driven into the. ground, there being an interposed bearing plate between the brace and stake.

13, designates the longitudinal wires of the fence, which are secured firmly to the end post 1 and intermediate posts 14, in the usual or any preferred manner. As is well known the wires are liable to variation in length due to climatic changes which cause the same to sag intermediate the posts. In order to secure an even tension upon the wires, I employ a. tightening device 15, comprising a bar slotted as at 16 at each end thereof, to receive the wires 13 of the fence, as shown more fully in Fig. 2. The body portion; of the tightener is formed to allow of securing a wrench thereon to turn the same to secure the desired tension upon the wires, after which the tightener is held from unwinding by means of a spring arm 17 secured to the body of the tightener and engaging with one of the wires. Spring arm 17 comprises a wire coiled to encircle the body of the tightener, and having one end bent to enter a perforation formed in the body of the tightenenthereby preventing the arm from turning on the same, the opposite end of the arm extending laterally therefrom and formed with a hook 18 to engage with oneof the wires when tightened.

Instead of forming the perforations in the body of the tightener, I may simply place the coiled end of the spring arm upon the upper end of the same with the transverse portion resting in'slot 16, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the above description the operation and advantages of the tightening mechanism will be apparent. Should the wires become slack from any cause, the tighteneris engaged with two of the wires and turned to draw the same into proper tension, after which the spring arm is engaged with one of the wires and the tightener is held from revolution in a reverse direction. The spring arm allows a certain yield of tension should strain be put upon either of the wires, thereby preventing breakage of the same,;this feature being of great importance. v

I do not limit myself to the exact construction of spring arm shown, but may vary the same so that the tightener is held from turning and the holding mechanism is yieldingly connected with the wire.

What I claim is- 1.- The combination with the posts and parallel strands of wire,of the bar slotted at the opposite ends, adapted to engage adjacent pairs of strands, and the catch arm attached to the bar and adapted to engage one of the said strands.

2. The combination with the parallel strands, of the bar slotted at its ends, and the spring-catch arm attached to the bar and adapted to engage a wire strand,

In testimonythat I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby at'fix my signature in pres ence of two witnesses.

2 PETER MAST.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, CARROLL J. WEBSTER. 

